“A very negative message has being going out from this State. It is now believed that this is a State of disaster and regular strikes,” Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said on Sunday.
Addressing the workers from various departments who often stage strikes to bring their demands to the notice of the State government, Mr. Rawat said that his government, for now, must be allowed to concentrate on issues related to the June 2013 deluge that killed thousands and has rendered many homeless.
Project Implementation Units (PIUs) have been established under the mandate of the Disaster Management Act. Mr. Rawat said all works within Rs 1 crore will be done at the level of the respective PIU.
Any scheme, which costs more than Rs. 1 crore, will have to be brought to the district level for approval, Mr. Rawat has said.
The State government has divided the areas hit by the June deluge last year into eight Special Zones, and an additional Very Special Zone. “The Very Special Zone lies from Rambada to Kedarnath [in Rudraprayag district]. We will be using a different mechanism altogether [for making the area safe for pilgrims to travel],” Mr. Rawat said.
Mr Rawat said: “A blueprint has been prepared for the reconstruction work that needs to be done between Gaurikund and Rambada. The work will begin in a week’s time.”However, the work from Rambada to Kedarnath will get delayed due to the cold weather and snow. “By May 5, trekkable route till Kedarnath will be opened for the pilgrims,” Mr. Rawat said.
